


Dead Wrong

by ReedMeme



Category: Southern Vampire Mysteries - Charlaine Harris, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, F/M, Gen, M/M, Teen Wolf First Season crossover, Telepathy, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReedMeme/pseuds/ReedMeme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Sookie Stackhouse books universe crossover with Teen Wolf TV universe.  </p>
<p>Just a little experiment.  </p>
<p>Sookie and Jason Stackhouse move to Beacon Hills and get involved in the Teen Wolf season one shebang.  See notes for more explanations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dead Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I made Sookie sixteen in this universe, while Jason is seventeen. I wanted Sookie to be the same age as the other core TW cast, while Jason to not be that far ahead. 
> 
> So this is before the Vampires "come out" in the Sookie Stackhouse universe. I don't even know if I'm ever going to include them. I just had this idea and wanted to write a quick sample of what could be... see how people respond to it. It could be the dumbest thing ever after all. 
> 
> I changed and manipulated a lot of things to make sure that Sookie and Jason end up in California. I don't know if it was the best thing to do, but it's what I ended up deciding. At one point I was tinkering with the idea that Sookie and Jason would be adopted by Jackson's parents instead of writing OCs, but I thought against it. I didn't think Jackson would be too excited about that idea. 
> 
> I'm also making Sookie more immature than she is in the novels. She's still a teenager after all and she hasn't had all that life experience yet. Not to mention they're orphans in a new environment. 
> 
> I'm not sure if I got the tenor of Charlaine Harris' characterization of Sookie correct, not to mention it's my first time writing in first person, so I apologize for the differences. 
> 
> Not sure if I'm going to continue this story, but just thought I'd share the possibility of it since the idea intrigued me. 
> 
> Don't know about the relationships yet either. But a Jason/Danny one came up pretty quickly. I'm tinkering with the possibility of Sookie/Derek or Sookie/Stiles or a combo of all three, or some other combo. God, that really horny part of me was tinkering with the idea of a Peter/Jason too. Or even a possible Jason/Jackson. J&J doing a bit of R&R at a B&B. Ha ha ha. This is just rated teen though since nothing mature really happen in this quick fic. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it as it is 'cause I'm not sure if there's ever going to be more. It was just a random idea that I wanted to put on paper. 
> 
> Un beta'd.

 

     The house is pretty big, showy, and made with brick and a bit of wood that was painted with a color you'd never see on a house in Bon Temps.  It was some kind of purple and it looked a bit off compared to the red of the brick.  But who am I to judge?  I'd only be living here is all.  I looked over at Jason hoping to commiserate (my new word of the day) with him, but apparently he was too busy glowering at the row of petunias that was planted in their front yard.

      "Welcome to your new home!"  Caithy said. 

      Caithy was a well to do woman if anything.  She was tall, leggy, blonde to the roots, and so busty my back hurt just looking at her.  She spelled her name in an odd way that I've never heard of and sometimes spoke with a bit of a lisp that's probably due to her row of pristine, white, fake teeth.  She's pretty sensitive about them since she paid an arm and a leg for 'em.  Nobody knows except for her husband, who she calls Charles but who's real name is Charlie.  She's the type of lady that married up later on in life and had something to prove.  That's how my brother and I found ourselves two thousand miles away from Bon Temps. 

     Our parents had died years back, their car pulled into a river in a flash flood while they crossed a bridge.  Took three days for people to find the car all the way in the next county over.  We didn't get to see the bodies 'cause Gran wouldn't let us. 

     "It's best you keep the picture of them that's in your head and not what's been left behind."  Maxine Fortenberry had told us when she caught Jason trying to sneak a peek during the wake. 

     Jason kicked her in the shin.  He ended up having to cut her grass for a month.   

     It didn't help that Jason was so miserable at that time, it was hard enough that everyone else was so miserable for us.  Every time anyone saw us all they kept on thinking was how miserable we must be and how it'd be good on them to help us out.  'Cause it was the neighbourly thing to do. 

     It was real easy to know what they were thinking, considering my condition and all.  I've been able to hear what's in people's head ever since I can remember.  At best, their thoughts are like a radio.  It's pretty clear and crisp and it's like hearing a conversation out loud.  At worst it's like burst of pictures, images, and feelings that I can kind of figure out from whatever they send my way. 

      Maybe it should be the other way around.  At worst would be me hearing them loud and clear.  I learned pretty quickly that it's not good to hear voices in your head.  Even if the voices are real and it's other people's thoughts and not imaginary ones.  My mama and papa took me to all sorts of doctors and specialists when I was younger and didn't know any better and just blurted out anything my mind got hold of.  They just said I was real good at interpreting body language and all that, even if they didn't believe what they were saying themselves.  No one was willing to admit that a small kid was actually reading their minds.  I learned pretty early on to try and keep these things to myself. 

     So during the funeral, I made sure to keep all that misery floating around to myself.  It was frustrating 'cause I already had my own and didn't really need anybody else's.  It didn't help matters when Gran died of a heart attack eight years later shortly after I had turned sixteen.  That was a shock for everyone.  Lots of people in Bon Temps loved Gran.  Old Caroline Bellefleur even came out in her Sunday best to pay her respects.  Of course her Sunday best was better than most everyone else's any day of the week.  She wasn't beyond showing off how much money she had, even at a funeral.  Mind you nobody complained, at least to her face, and most things were forgotten when she brought her famous chocolate cake to the wake. 

     Of course Jason and I never got a piece.  I don't know where he ran off to, but I was too busy running off into the woods to hide from all that _yak yak yak_ of grief that was being thrown around in the house.  I just wanted to be left alone with my own. 

     I didn't get much time.  Andy Bellefleur found me an hour later napping in the cemetery and brought me back quick enough.  Then life just kept on piling crap on top of the crap we were already dealing with.  Gran was our last living relative (my cousin Hadley not withstanding, no one's quite sure if she's alive or not), and as much as many people loved and respected Gran, no one was willing to take on two teenagers full time.  Jason and I were more than willing to stay in the house since I was pretty confident that we could raise ourselves.  But other folks seemed to have different ideas. 

     Of course it didn't help that Jason kept on acting out by screwing every living thing he could touch.  Most everyone brushed it off as 'the boy's trying to get comfort where he can find it' and all that bullshit.  Or maybe not so much.  Maybe even Jason wasn't really trying to think of why he led on with his dick instead of his head.  Most of the time he'd be thinking of a girl he was sweet on instead of thinking of things he should be thinking about.  Like how we were orphans.  And where we were going to live. 

      Course it's one of those situations that was taken out of our hands.  Gran had spent a lot of money on our parent's funeral.  Then the rest of her money and then some went to her own funeral.  It didn't help that there were apparently other expenses.  Expenses that needed to be paid and the government came to make sure of it.  Payment apparently involved our house and our land.  So some guys in tacky grey suits kept on coming around but made sure a social worker from the state was there to talk to. 

      Apparently Gran had a lawyer too, a balding stuttering man by the name of Johnny Boor.  I don't know much about him, but apparently he was cheap.  I didn't understand most of it, and they spent a lot more time talking to Jason than talking to me, but from what I gathered is that some other people came up with the idea to take the house and the land that generations of Stackhouses have spent their lives building and then sell it off to pay for all the bills that needed paying. In pieces.  Because Stackhouse land was a lot of land.   

     Of  course, that meant more pity thrown our way.  I spent most of it trying to tune everyone out and looking like a slow-witted fool for it.  Jason spent more time trying to screw more girls and their sisters.  Next thing we know is that the two of us are getting bumped from one house to another.  Foster kids apparently.  I'm just thankful that Jason and I were kept together.  For all his faults, Jason would throw a tantrum every time he heard someone threaten of taking me away.  He actually punched Johnny Boor one time when he thought to send me out of state all by myself to a family that was apparently looking for a girl of their own.  The guy had to wear one of those ridiculous looking nose splints things for a whole month. 

     Most of my time in foster homes went in a blur.  At first it was just all around Bon Temps and the outskirts, then at towns nearby, and even at Shreveport.  I kept mostly to myself, living in my own head and thinking about better times.  It wasn't until about four months after Gran died that Caithy walked into our lives. 

      Jason and I had been lead into another government office and in walks this ridiculous looking woman with boobs you'd see in a cartoon.  She kinda looked like Jessica Rabbit except really blonde and chipper.  She wasn't a southerner, that's for sure.  I didn't know any God fearing woman in Bon Temps who'd be wearing that tight and that short of a dress in the middle of the day, on a Sunday no less.  I could already hear Jason's head being filled by the image of the woman's boobs.  I made sure to kick his chair leg extra hard, enough to topple him over and get his mind thinking of something else temporarily.

     Charlie on the other had was a guy that you'd never figure would end up with someone like Caithy.  He had those black, thick rimmed glasses with honest-to-goodness cello-tape on the bridge.  Turns out he had sat on it on the flight over from California.  He had short but really curly black hair and kind brown eyes.  He was kind of thin and wiry, like he'd never played a sport in his life.  But he was dressed well enough though.  At least his suit looked expensive to me. 

      Turns out the two of 'em had been looking for a kid to call their own for a good long while.  The two of them were talking about how long they've wanted to be parents and how they've been looking all over for the right kid.  They even hired a whole bunch of head hunters, or whatever you call 'em, to find them the right kids.  And one of those guys gave them a picture of me.  Then Caithy was all taken with how pretty I looked and how she thought I looked like her.  Like I could really be her daughter. 

      Of course I knew better.  Caithy was, what I call, a 'clear broadcaster'.  Caithy thought the way she spoke, even if she didn't speak every thought she had.  She really did want children, true enough.  The two of them couldn't have their own and had no success with other options like in vitro.  But really for Caithy, she didn't want to start from the beginning.  She wanted kids that were already older, but not that old.  She wanted a kid that was her friend first more than a kid that she could call her child.  Apparently for her, sixteen was perfect.  So she wanted me.  But not Jason.

      It was my turn to throw a tantrum and Jason was right there next to me throwing it too.  Well as it turns out I was wrong and both of them didn't really mind, especially Charlie who actually wanted a son of his own.  And for a very genuine moment that surprised even me, Caithy wanted a son to call her own too.  She didn't think of Jason like the hot piece of meat that I get from most women who've gone through puberty and saw him for the first time.  Being the prime seventeen year old specimen that he is, apparently.  I was surprised to hear in her head that she thought of Jason as a sweet looking kid and a good one too if he cared so much for her sister.  That was it.  She thought of Jason as a kid.  That was the first time in a long while that I heard of someone think of Jason as a kid.  She kinda won me over then, 'cause no matter how not fully realized her intentions and desires for kids were, she did care for 'em.  Apparently she did care for us.  Or at least, could come to care for us genuinely.  Charlie was all happy with the prospect of being able to call him son. 

     That's how Jason and I found ourselves standing outside of their brick and purple house in a small town called Beacon Hills in Northern California.      

 

***

 

     See, I've had sixteen years worth of experience living in small towns.  Considering my curious problem, I've always thought I knew exactly how small town people think.  I didn't expect other towns in other places to be any different, even the ones in the north.  But mind you, I was dead wrong.  I thought that the moment we'd get here, there'd be nosy biddies coming around making our acquaintance.  Maybe the local church ladies would come around with some pie or some casserole and get to know the new citizens and all that.  But no one came around.  It wasn't actually until Caithy and Charlie threw a party a few days after we got there that we got to meet their circle of friends. 

      Before the party, Jason and I spent most of our time either in the house or just hanging out in the backyard.  Well, that's what I did.  Jason spent most of his first few days glued to the big screen TV they had at the house.  I was busy spending my time outside admiring Caithy's garden. 

      At first I was all impressed that she had taken the time to make something beautiful, and I was all ashamed to have thought so little of her before that.  I mean she made something so beautiful with her own hands after all.  But a little while later when I commented on it, she admitted pretty quick and without shame, and actually with a measure of pride, that she had hired other people to make that garden for her and had spent little time being in it.  I've never met anybody pay a lot of money for something so beautiful to be put in their home and then not take the time to enjoy it.  I mean, I can kinda, maybe, wrap my head around doing it in their front yard where at least other people could pass by and admire it.  But in the backyard?  Who exactly did they make it for if they hardly spent time there themselves?  The ways of the well-to-do is just beyond my comprehension. 

      But according to Caithy and Charlie, I'm one of them now too.  They weren't kidding either.  About a week of getting to know us in Louisiana and a few days here in California, they already thought of us as their kids.  The sweet thing was our first day in this house, Caithy actually went to the trouble of cooking Jason and I breakfast.  Mind you most of it was burnt, but I appreciated the thought.  I smiled extra wide and made sure Jason did too for her sake.  She was all sorts of pleased for it.  So was Charlie.  The two of them just gushed every time they got to call us 'their kids'.  And it had just been two days. 

      Jason hated it, but I talked him out of acting out on it.  I thought at first that he actually hated them, but I figured out, after a long while trying to understand his thoughts, that Jason hated more the situation that we were in than Caithy and Charlie.  He'd rather have had our parents, or Gran, than those two if he had a choice.  But he knew enough that we didn't.  And he thanks his lucky stars that they were way better than what we had left behind.  The big screen TV helped too.      

      But the party itself opened my eyes to this whole new world that I was living.  I figured that since Gran died, things would definitely be different but still the same.  In the sense that I would still be surrounded by familiar things and familiar people, but with just less family in the world that I was living in.  But all the people that showed up in the party was far different from the ones you'd find in Bon Temps.  The people who showed up were dressed in all sorts of colourful outfits.  The men all wore bright coloured and tailored suits, while the women wore all these tight dresses that look expensive as all get out.  They had all these hair do's that you'd find on the celebrities in movies, and they had all these jewellery that shone like there were rainbows trapped in them every time they caught the light. 

     Jason and I were passed around and introduced to a lot of folks, and the two of us spent most of the time just nodding and smiling in turn.  Jason seemed to like the attention enough, especially every time someone told him how handsome he looked.  Unfortunately it happened a lot.  Even more unfortunate was that I got the same amount of attention from most of the men, and even a lot of women.  Now it wasn't the first time I've had to try and block out these types of thoughts before, and really they just got worse the moment I got smacked in the chest by puberty, but it didn't help none that some of them enjoyed pinching my cheeks.  The cheeks on my face, not somewhere else, God forbid.  But any sort of skin contact made trying to block out their skeevy thoughts even more difficult.  I made every excuse I could to try and get out and find a place for myself to be away from everything and everybody.

      There was this one particular boy that I didn't like so much.  Thankfully he wasn't that clear of a broadcaster, but what I did get was certainly a doozy.  He was a looker and he knew it.  He spent more time looking at his reflection every time he passed by a shiny, flat, surface than at his date who was trying her best to ignore him (but not really) just as well as he was doing to her.  Caithy introduced him as Jackson and the girl as Lydia, and he barely spared me a look (specifically at my chest) before turning his attention elsewhere.  Lydia on the other hand kept on staring at me with these thoughtful little eyes that made me think that she might be deeper than I first expected.  Unfortunately, unlike her boyfriend, she wasn't a clear broadcaster at all.  If what I could do was like receiving radio waves, it seemed like she broadcasted at a different signal.  But when I shook her hand, I got flashes of thoughts.  Mostly faces and images.  And a lot of clothes.  But I also got the impression that she was trying to size me up for whatever reason.  Probably sizing me up just like every other girl I've ever met in high school.

      A high school which apparently we would be sharing.  She was nice enough to start a conversation with me for a bit, even explaining what the whole town was about, but the moment she laid eyes on my brother I was all but forgotten.  Suddenly she's beaming this wide, toothy, smile and got even more chatty than usual.  Jason certainly appreciated how pretty she looked.  Jackson on the other hand didn't.  The two of them did that macho thing where they shook hands and sized each other up by squeezing as hard as they could and waited to see who flinched first.  But seeing as Jackson was a year younger and was, slightly, physically smaller than Jason, he was the first one who backed off first.  Not that he showed it.  He actually puffed his chest and jutted his chin forward like a stubborn little kid.  Or one of those horny birds that tries to impress those female birds in the next tree over.  He certainly looked prim and colourful enough for it.

      Looking at Lydia, I was plenty glad that I couldn't really read her seeing as she looked as if she were undressing Jason with her eyes.  I was getting enough of that from all the other ladies prowling around.  The moment Jackson noticed Lydia was paying more attention to my brother than to him, he started to pay more attention to me in turn.  But seeing as I have no desire to listen to him go on and on about his car or this sport called lacrosse that he played, I just excused myself and left the room.  I spent the rest of the evening in my room reading _One for the Money_. 

 

***

 

     It was coming the end of August, and school was about to start soon.  Caithy and Charlie had registered us at the local high school and had bought us a whole bunch of stuff for it.  By the look of things, they might have bought the whole store.  Caithy bought me and Jason a huge wardrobe of new clothes along with school stuff.  She even said that she was going to take the two of us car shopping before school started, but I talked her out of it.  Jason wasn't all to happy with that one, at least in his head, but he was all too willing to parrot me on the outside.  I get that money's no object to her and Charlie, but I really didn't feel comfortable getting so much. 

      Not that we had little growing up.  We had enough and that was plenty.  Gran never left Jason or I wanting for more and made sure we were always thankful for what we had.  Although Jason always did like new things, even he appreciated the way he had bought the stuff he had with the money he had worked hard for.  Not that he minded getting handed new things without doing squat for them.  I was getting concerned that he was getting a bit entitled.  It reminded me of the Bellefleurs. 

      From what I understand, Charlie is some sort of really successful attorney who makes a lot of money.  I'm not quite sure what Caithy did with her time before we arrived, but she was loving having some kids to take care off.  She was doing the whole mother thing.  Cooking breakfast, preparing lunches, cooking dinners.  She even tried to wash clothes once, but they all turned pink and shrunk.  Or maybe that's how they actually started off?  But the cleaning lady they hired, her name's Carmen, just shook her head at what she saw. 

     I like Carmen.  She's smart and a good woman to talk to.  We've gotten into the habit of watching Days of Our Lives together in the afternoon when she came by to clean.    

      So when the fateful first day of school arrived, Caithy was all nerves.  I don't quite know how it happened, but she actually tried cooking eggs with a toaster.  She woke up extra early and had snuck into my room and into my closet to prepare the clothes she wanted me to wear. 

     I vetoed the really short plaid skirt with some sensible jeans, and the really short top with a cute pink shirt that covered my shoulders.  She wasn't all too happy, but I convinced her well enough that what she wanted me to wear was a bit much.  She just accepted it as some sort of strategy on my part to have the boys wanting more.  Although a part of me wanted to wear what she offered, I was a bit uncomfortable taking that extra step forward considering this was a new environment and all.  Which is odd since this should be the perfect time for me to reinvent myself like Madonna.  But I just couldn't do it.  I was intent on keeping myself the way I was.  Who else knew better for me than myself?  Nobody certainly knew me enough that I'd call them experts at Sookie.  Even Jason sometimes forgets that I'm, what you call, telepathic.  He tries to be as wilfully ignorant as he can about my ability.     

      Speaking of which, she wanted Jason to wear this black muscle shirt with these really tight looking black pants, but he vetoed that for a plaid shirt and a pair of levis.  She was really disappointed with that one.  Someone she got it in her head that Jason has a chance of marrying rich with the body he has and the intellect he doesn't.  In her own way, she was trying to take care of him before he needed to be taken care of.  I didn't quite know how to feel about her thought process that she would automatically come to the conclusion of Jason being a kept man rather than working hard for something himself.     

      It was the first time in my life that I was driven to school in a BMW.  I don't know what it was called, the model and all that, but Jason sure loves that car.  He was practically vibrating with pleasure when we stepped inside.  I just saw a really shiny, showy car that didn't seem all that practical for a family.  It had two doors where you had to fold the front seats so people could get in the back.  But apparently that wasn't necessary since the hood pulled back and you could just jump in instead.    

     Beacon Hills High was not only bigger than the school I went to in Bon Temps, but more... it was more.  It had two floors and had this open plant sort of thing where there are open balconies on the second floor that goes from one building to another.  There are covered pathways and lots of grass and a brick sign that had the school's name engraved on it.  Apparently it had a pool too. 

      Thankfully we were running a bit late and Caithy dropped us off when most of the kids were already inside.  There was this black haired girl sitting on the bench at the front when we were dropped off.  She smiled at me and gave a little wave while she talked on her cell.  I wave back a bit shyly, but glad that my school day was starting out with something as normal as a wave hello. 

      Caithy walked with us all the way to the front office, chatting all the while about the do's and don'ts of high school life.  I wasn't paying much attention seeing as I was busy looking at just about anything and everything.  Jason wasn't listening either, especially since he wasn't really concerned about any of that stuff.  He was always quick to make friends and had been popular back in Bon Temps. 

      A nice lady gave us a little background on the school and what we'd be doing before handing us our schedule cheerfully.  She was a clear broadcaster too, and I knew she was mighty happy at getting to touch Jason's hand when she shook it.  We were about to leave when the girl I saw out front walked in too.  Apparently she was another new kid in the school, and the admin lady had us wait while she gave the girl, Allison's her name, her schedule too.  Turns out she and I both had the same first class, English, and were going to be heading the same place anyway.  Caithy gave Jason and I quick kisses on the cheek before leaving, feigning not wanting to leave her babies before actually leaving.  Jason eventually wandered off to his first class, opting to find it himself using the map he had been given, while Allison and I were lead to our first class by one of the admin people.       

      I was relieved that they just gave out our names in front of the class before telling us to go find a seat.  I had made sure to put on what I called my 'mental shields' before heading to school.  I worked out pretty early in my life how to block out all the excess noise in my head, and it was pretty useful in places like a school.  Mind you, it's not perfect but it would be a lot worse if I didn't do it.  There are always thoughts that bleed through because there's just so many buzzing heads in one place and this high school was no different.  So even when I was walking to an empty seat near the middle, and next to Allison, I could already hear some thoughts being thrown my way.  I sat down as quickly as a I could and moved to settle in my new environment as gracefully as I could manage while trying to cover my chest with my arms.  Of course the first thing people thought of when I walked by would be my boobs.  Well, I can't do anything about them so they better get their fill and get over it.    

      A movement at the corner of my left eye had me peeking over to see that there's this guy with wavy hair behind me handing Allison a pen.  The guy has googly eyes aimed right at her, and she googly eyes him in turn.  I gathered from a quick check on the tenor of her thoughts (she was a medium broadcaster, not too strong, not too weak) that she liked the guy quick enough.  A quick check on the guy I found that... well, actually, I found nothing.  Well mostly nothing.  It was a bit odd 'cause all I got was mostly some buzzing.  It's like, I got a bit of what he was feeling, and he was feeling mighty horny and love struck right now, but I wasn't sure if that was because of my other sense or common sense.  The guy behind him was a clear broadcaster though.  He was looking at me and trying to get my attention, even giving me a quick little wave with a goofy smile when I met his eyes.  He was thinking I was pretty.  Very pretty.  But a different pretty.  Not like Lydia, but very pretty too. 

      That has me turning around quickly enough. 

      I tried to spend the rest of my time paying attention to the class and failing miserably. 

      The rest of the day was pretty similar to my time in English class, spending more time trying to tune people out than tuning in to the actual lessons.  I didn't get to talk much, but that was fine with me.  My conversations were usually limited to the "hi" I mumble when I'm introduced to the class.  During lunch, I make an effort to walk outside and eat somewhere far away from all the buzzing thoughts in the school.  I ended up eating under a tree.  Turns out Caithy wasn't very successful at packing us a lunch and instead had gotten us this box full of sushi.  I laughed out loud wondering how Jason was going to eat something like this.  I tried using the chopsticks properly for a bit but end up using one to poke the food into my mouth.  

      By the end of the day I was getting used to keeping my mental shields up and had even gotten into a few conversation with some people in my classes.  I had Allison for a couple of them and she was nice enough.  We compared notes on our life, of moving into Beacon Hills.  She didn't really have to move far since her family just moved from San Francisco.  She was in awe that I moved all the way from Louisiana.  I was surprised she never brought up my brother in our conversation until I explained who the guy was with me that morning.  She didn't seem all that interested in him, which was a surprise.  I guess she was more taken with that other kid than I thought. 

     I was chatting with her next to her locker at the end of the day when Lydia and Jackson suddenly showed up next to us.  Lydia gave me a quick hello, while Jackson just ignored me, before she turned to face Allison. 

      "Nice jacket."  She said.  "Where'd you get it?"

      Allison blushes and explains that her mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco.  Lydia looks impressed at that and proclaims that they're now best friends.  Allison gives me a quick look and smiles awkwardly at Lydia.  Lydia and Jackson then invite her to a party on Friday, and Lydia has the good graces to turn and invite me too.  Seeing as her brain's a bit of a blur to me, I can't be all to sure if it was a sincere invitation or a product of me standing there awkwardly.  I quickly turn her down as politely as I could, while Allison does the same telling her that day was a family night.  Turns out it's tradition for them to throw a party after the lacrosse scrimmage thing they're having earlier that day and both Allison and I get pulled into going to the party.  Allison and I share this look that tells me we're getting to be good friends already. 

      I had never seen a lacrosse game before, but it sure is different from football.  It looked more like field hockey to me, but with more padding.  Sitting on the bench watching the boys do their practice, I'm actually paying attention to the things happening on the field seeing as this is apparently a big thing in the town, Allison starts asking Lydia about the guy in our English class called Scott.  Apparently Lydia doesn't really know him all that well, and I automatically turn to look for him down at the field.  I find him sitting on the bench next to his smiling friend, but Scott's staring up at us and has his face scrunched up like he's listening intently.  It seems to take him a moment to realize that I had been staring at him and he startles at that and the fact that the coach had just thrown a stick and a helmet at him. 

      The guy named Scott makes his way to the field and onto the net before the coach blows his whistle.  I see Scott clutch his ears as if he was in pain before a ball hits him square in the face and then rolling into the goal.  A whole bunch of people laugh and some guys actually cheer at that.  I could hear his friend on the bench mentally cussing out in defence of Scott in his head.  That kid was way too strong of a broadcaster if I could still hear him from this far and this well while I had my mental shields up.  I hadn't been paying much attention, but next thing I know people are exclaiming in surprise.  Looking up, I see Scott staring at his stick and at the ball inside its little netting.  Apparently he caught the ball.

      Then he catches the next one too.

      Then the one after that.

      And the one after that.

      People are so surprised that I gathered this isn't really an everyday occurrence.   Then I see Jackson step up and take a shot, but Scott gets his ball easily enough too.  That has me laughing and clapping with Lydia and Allison.  I thought that'd be the highlight of my day, but I was surprised to find that Jason had been the first guy who threw and scored past Scott.  In fact he was the only one who got past Scott in goal the entire time.  I never figured Jason to ever be a guy that would play something like lacrosse, but there he was all beaming and popular as ever.  I swear I even saw Jackson gave him an irritated look. 

      "You're brother's hot."  I hear Lydia say. 

      "Yeah, alright."  I just reply dumbly.

      "So is Scott."  Lydia adds, like all of a sudden she knows who he is.    

      We watch until the practice ends, and the three of us in the stands say our goodbyes then and there.  I head out to the front of the school to find Caithy's BMW waiting for us.  I'm barely in the car before she starts bombarding me with questions about my first day and how it was.  Thankfully I was saved by a sweaty Jason walking into the car talking about his awesome day and lacrosse practice.  Caithy's proud as punch after hearing that Jason's on the lacrosse team.  She stops to get us ice cream. 

 

***

 

     Apparently something's going on in town and I had been to busy to know about it.  It's pretty big too if there's police involved.  I didn't hear about it until Caithy and Charlie started talking about it cryptically during dinner.  But I got most of it in their heads, with Charlie having the most information.  Apparently half a girl's body was found earlier this week and some people are saying that it might have been murder.  The dead girl's body was apparently the thing to talk about in town especially because of who she was.  I got from Caithy that her name was Laura Hale, and that the Hale name used to carry a lot of weight around town.  I asked her about it in the evening, surprising her in the process, and she explained about the Hale fire and most of the family dying. 

      "Who told you about it?"  She whispers conspiratorially to me. 

      "Oh, I heard it around.  It's the talk of the town after all."  And she nods at that as if she expected it. 

      Apparently Laura was one of the only survivors of the fire, next to her younger brother and an uncle who's living mentally unresponsive in a care facility.  But nobody seems to know why she was back in town seeing as they had apparently left Beacon Hills right after the fire. 

      "It's a pity about what happened.  It's terrible.  You'd never think that could happen to rich people."  Caithy said sadly.  I just blink at her in response. 

      At school, a lot less people are thinking and talking about Laura Hale too.  They're too busy talking about Scott's showing the other day.  Now that I'm getting more used to keeping my shields up at school, I become more observant of things around me.  I didn't realize that I had more classes with Stiles than I initially thought.  He actually moves over to sit next to me in ones he didn't have Scott next to him. 

      "Hi, we weren't properly introduced, I'm Stiles."  He says, offering his hand. 

      I take it awkwardly, bracing for the rush of thoughts I expected to flood my brain, but it doesn't come.  Well, not much more than already was.  He was just _such_ a clear broadcaster.  "I'm Sookie." 

      "Sookie, I've never heard that before."  He's cheerful about that.

      "I've never heard of Stiles before either."  I reply with a smile.

      "Thank god, if you did I'm telling you they're all lies."  He says seriously and I laugh out loud.  He wasn't too bad after all. 

      It wasn't difficult keeping a conversation with him since he had a tendency of saying exactly what he was thinking right when he thought it.  I write that off as a product of him being too excited, which I suspect he mostly is.  His brain's a big rush of thoughts and things that just move through like a fast flowing river.  And he'd grab on to a thought, seemingly randomly, and bring it out in the open.  So for the most part, I didn't have to worry about answering a question that he never asked. 

      "What's Bon Temps like?"

      "What do you think of Beacon Hills?"

      "Have you ever seen an alligator?  Have you eaten one?"

      "Is it really hot?"

      "Does it look like one of those Scooby Doo swamps you see in the cartoon?"

      "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

      "I've only been here about a month."  I say tersely. 

      "Sorry, was that too personal?"  He asks.  "Let's change the subject, what do you wanna talk about?"

      "How about that body they found in the woods?  Do you know anything about it?  I didn't think something like that could happen in Beacon Hills."  I ask 'cause I was genuinely curious. 

       Good Lord did I ever strike oil.  It was like a huge geyser of information just burst out of his head the moment I asked about the body.  Then it became one of those moments where he was thinking of something that I knew he didn't want me to know.  About how he had gone off into the woods with Scott to look for the body, about getting caught by his dad, the Sheriff, and then the huge wound on his body that Scott says he got from a huge wolf, and about how Scott found the upper half of the body. 

      "Scott found Laura Hale's body?"  I say in surprise before I can stop myself. 

      Stiles startles at what I said and looks at me oddly.  Looking at me like I just threw a racoon at him.  "What?  Laura Hale's body?"

      "Um, nothing."  I try to brush of and turn around to become all too interested in my notes. 

      "No, not nothing.  It's Laura Hale's body?  How'd you know that?"  Stiles asks of all thing to ask about.  He didn't ask nor did it even register in his brain that I just asked a question from something I got from his head, that he never told me about Scott finding Laura's body.  Apparently the fact that I knew who's body it was took precedence over my knowing Scott had found the body. 

      "Um, Charlie, my foster dad, he's a lawyer and he talks to a lot of cops.  One of them told him the body was Laura Hale's, but I don't think that information is supposed to go around."  I say with a bit of shame. 

      And then the mental shit hits the mental fan, 'cause suddenly Stiles' head is buzzing with all sorts of thoughts with that information.  I suddenly got that he and Scott had been out back at the woods looking for Scott's inhaler when they meet Derek Hale, Laura's older brother (leave it to boys to go traipsing off into the woods on their own when there's supposed to be a killer on the loose).  How apparently that started to make a lot more sense to Stiles.  And then suddenly he's wondering about how Derek could be connected to Scott getting attacked by a werewolf and whether or not if his friend is in trouble tonight. 

       Seriously?  A werewolf?

       I bite my tongue, making sure I don't interrupt his thoughts, and can't help but listen in to his internal dialogue.  As it turns out Scott's been weirder than usual, and suddenly got all of these really weird abilities after getting attacked by what Stiles thinks is a werewolf.  How Scott is suddenly faster, stronger, and can hear things from far away.  That kind of adds up with the whistle thing and him looking like he was listening in on our conversation the other day.  But a werewolf?

       I stifle a snort, but I make enough of a noise that Stiles looks me over.  "What?"

      "Nothing.  You just look funny when you're thinking really hard."  I say half-jokingly. 

      "Oh, that's no problem 'cause you always look funny."  He says with a toothy smile.  I'm all mock scandalized and smack his shoulder, but we laugh it off and I'm thankful he's thinking of things other than dead bodies and fairy tails. 

      Unfortunately he's now thinking about how cute and sweet I am. 

      Thankfully the bell rang, because I certainly wasn't prepared to handle whatever teenage hormone was being thrown my way.  I had other more important things to angst about than my libido. 

      There was a buzz of excitement that was flowing through school and it was all about Scott McCall.  Although he seemed oblivious to it just as much as Stiles was.  Everybody seemed to be secretly excited about the prospect of an underdog taking down Jackson.  Sure enough a lot more people show up to watch the scrimmage.  I make my way in the stands to sit next to Allison and Lydia.  Down there I see Scott facing off against a number of guys, including Jackson.  When the whistle blows, he's running and weaving through the other players.  The people in the stands are cheering, especially Allison, and all of a sudden everyone's all shock when Scott does this flip on top of three guys, one of whom is Jason, and then lands gracefully to throw a the ball in his stick to score a goal between the goalie's legs.  The people there were all surprised and cheering at what happened.  Stiles was cheering the loudest.  Needless to say Scott makes it to first string along with Jackson and my brother. 

      Looking over I see that Lydia has her calculating look on as she stares at Scott.  Allison doesn't see it, she's far too busy smiling at Scott's figure in the distance.  Down in the field, Stiles is busy celebrating his friend and cheering in his head about werewolf powers.  For some reason, that's starting to sound less ridiculous in my head. 

      Everyone leaves shortly after that, with Lydia and Allison telling me that they'll see me at the party.  Caithy's there again with the BMW, waiting for us.  She genuinely happy when I tell her that Jason's on the team, first string.  She's making all these plans for the family to do tonight, I still haven't told her about the party I'm supposed to be going to.  But that seems to fix itself when Jason gets in the car and makes his big announcement.  He's all surprised and pleased to hear that Caithy already knew and was happy for him.  Then he asks her if he could go to the party, and the two of them are off talking about it. 

      Caithy's excited that we both, after a sullen confession from myself, had been invited to the popular kid's party.  Then she's going on and on about how social events like this are important, and how we can celebrate as a family another time and how Jason and I should go.  She's even insisting that Jason takes the BMW to the party.  He's all sorts of pleased about that and beams at me wildly.  For a moment I feel angry and guilty all at the same time.  Because Jason was genuinely happy at his new life.  I was a bit resentful about that fact. 

 

***

 

      Caithy has me dressing like a rich Hollywood kid.  She's insisting this time.  She gets me in an expensive pair of jeans and this nice looking jacket and top that were really 'cool'.  She did my hair herself, and I was real thankful that she was a deft hand at it.  Turns out she had spent some time being a hairdresser in the past, but she's not ashamed of it.  Suddenly I'm feeling a bit closer to her because of that fact. 

      Jason's looking sharp in a leather jacket that Caithy had gotten him, and she's just gushing at how we both look.  I felt like her own personal life sized doll that she just dressed up.  But she's just genuinely pleased about how our life is turning around, and pleased at herself for having a hand in it.  Jason's more than happy to give her a tentative peck in the cheek before grabbing my hand and heading out of the door.  After Jason gives her that peck, Caithy started shooting off this pleased mom vibe that shamed me a bit of how I look down on her sometimes. 

      Jason's having a grand time driving the car. 

     "I never thought I'd be driving something like this."  The awe is clear in his voice as he caresses the steering wheel. 

     "Well, Gran was never a BMW sort of woman."  I say jokingly.

     "Bon Temps isn't a BMW sort of town."  He snorts. 

     "How are you making out big bro?"  I ask, looking at him as he smiles wildly while driving the _very_ expensive car. 

     "I'm as good as can be, considering.  We live in a big house with a big TV.  Caithy and Charlie ain't that bad, and could definitely be worse.  School's different, and a lot of people kinda point out the way I talk at first, like they were making fun of me like I was slow.  But getting into the lacrosse team kinda stopped all that.  A lot of guys like me, especially this Danny guy.  And he seems to hold some weight around the school, so getting his stamp of approval gave me an in.  He's no Hoyt, but he seems to like me well enough and he's nice."

     "That's good.  Not that I didn't expect that to happen."  I chuckle.

     "What'd you mean?" 

     "Oh come on, like you don't know.  A good looking guy like you and athletic to boot, you're a shoe in to be popular wherever you go.  It isn't really a big surprise that you're suddenly at the top of the totem pole next to all the other popular people."  I say a bit bitterly. 

     "How about you?  How are you holding up lil sis?"  He asks, peering at me with the corner of his eyes. 

      I'm quiet for a minute, thinking of what I'm going to say.  I know what he's really asking.  It was one of those times where the unspoken question was how I was getting along with considering my mental condition.  Back home, most everyone thought me simple and slow 'cause I spent more time trying to keep everyone out of my head that I sometimes miss the actual conversation people are trying to have with me.  I'm better at it now that I'm older than when I was a kid, and this fresh start in a town where no one knows me helps a bit with the whole starting over.  But I still struggle a bit.

      I say as much.  "There've been a couple of times where I accidentally answer a question before it's even asked.  I did it to a couple of teachers when I wasn't paying attention, and I picked out the answer from their heads.  They just think I'm weird and shrug it off.  The first day?  I was a bit slow 'cause I was working hard at keeping the noises out, but I think I made a couple of friends?  There's this other new girl, Allison, and I like her well enough.  And this guy Stiles in some of my classes, he's nice too." 

      "Stiles?  What kind of name is Stiles?"  Jason says mockingly. 

      "Be nice, I like him." 

      "You mean, _like_ like him?"  He says with a waggle of his brows. 

      "No, I mean I don't want to isolate people who are nice to me before they find out how much of a freak I am."  I say quietly. 

      "Hey, don't you let nobody _ever_ tell you you're a freak, you hear me?  You just come runnin' to me and I'll sort them out."  I smile at how Jason gets all genuinely brother-like sometimes over me. 

      "You've called me a freak yourself."  I respond.

      "Yeah, but that's different.  I'm your brother.  I say it with love.  And it's not because of what you can do as much as you being an annoying little sister."  He says, nodding to himself.  I just roll my eyes and smile. 

     "But I'm serious Sookie, we're all we have now.  We gotta stick together, alright?  I don't want to lose you too."  Jason says sadly. 

     "Same here big brother."  I lay my head on his shoulder when I tell him. 

     The party's pretty happening.  There's all sorts of kids around, drinking and having fun.  I was never invited to any parties back in Bon Temps.  I went to a couple of sleepovers, but they didn't really turn out all too well.  I was always the slow witted girl who's a bit weird.  I spent more time by myself or with my then best friend Tara.  But there's loud music blaring in the background, and there's all sorts of lights, and people are bobbing their heads to the song with their red plastic cups in their hands.  People out front turn their heads when we pull in and park.  Apparently Caithy dressed us well, cause a lot of people are thinking about how hot we look.  When Jason threw his arms over my shoulders, some thoughts even start wondering if we've ever hooked up.

     Ew.

     No.

     Gross. 

     Making our way quickly into the house I was hoping that I'd lose myself in the crowd.  I'd probably have to look for Lydia first to thank her inviting me to the party before heading off on my own until it was time to leave.  But my plans basically went to shit the moment we step through the door.  People are really appreciating how well Jason and I look.  I actually heard a couple of people wolf whistle and so many people are leering at us.  I didn't think we looked _that_ good. 

     I didn't really want to admit to myself that I actually liked having this kind of attention thrown my way.  But it was nice to walk in the room where everyone's first thought isn't 'freak'. 

     Lydia finds us before I know it, and she's scrutinizing our outfits extensively.  Then she nods and smiles as if she met our approval and next thing I know she's hooking my arm and Jason's on hers and pulling us along.  I see that Jason's smiling all around, and a lot of people are smiling back.  I must look awkward just getting dragged by the arm in turn.  I don't even really know what kind of face I'm making.  But apparently it's attractive enough that I guy named Greenburg steps up to me to say hi.  Before I can say hi back Lydia gives him a face and pulls me away to a group of important looking teenagers wearing jerseys on one side. 

      I got introduced around and I meet Danny for the first time.  He moves right next to Jason the moment we come close and he beams up at my brother.  Danny was a good broadcaster, so it was easy enough to sneak inside his little head while trying to keep everyone out at the same time.  Then I suddenly figure out why he was so nice to my brother.  He was sweet on him.  Everyone knew it too, even if they all still liked Jason genuinely enough themselves.  Jason was so easy going and so naturally charming that it was easy to like him.  But having Danny's approval held some weight.  I was happy to find that no one cared Danny was gay, and some guys were actually hoping that Jason was too 'cause they thought it'd make Danny happy.  And everyone likes Danny.  Turns out I had been beaming like a mad fool the entire time cause some people start telling me that I have a really pretty smile.  I just blush and thank them.

      Jason's having a real good time, but I make sure he doesn't drink.  He tends to party hard.  But he's driving tonight and I don't want to lose him too.  I find a great ally with Danny who's making sure that all Jason's drinking is pop.  When I get a chance I nod and mouth a thanks at him when he takes a cup of beer away from Jason.  He smiles and winks back.  Jason's telling stories about his time as a football star, and everyone else is listening to his stories engrossed.  Then when he comes around talking about lacrosse and asking guys to tell him stories about it and the school, they're more than willing to share.  At one point, I don't know when, Jason ended up throwing his arms over Danny's shoulders.  Jason either didn't care or wasn't all to aware that Danny's arms were wound around his waist and under his jacket.    

     I end up in a conversation with Lydia about my clothes, and I explain to her about Caithy.  She's nodding her head along as I tell her about all the clothes, shoes, and bags that Caithy bought me and how I was all intimidated about all of it.  She's smiling deviously at me now and I got a bit concerned.  I point it out.

     "Oh calm down.  I just want to help you out.  I like you Sookie."  Probably more like she likes the fact that I'm pretty and (now) rich and surprisingly popular with the boys.  "I'll come over with Allison to help you muddle through your new wardrobe.  Welcome to Beacon Hills."  She says with a wink. 

      I just smile back, but internally worried about what the girl is actually thinking, which I unfortunately can't tell.  Eventually I move off to get myself a drink and try and find a space for myself.  I find Scott and Allison dancing in between people, seemingly lost in each other's arms.  But then I see Scott look up and stare at someone across the room.  I turn to look where he's staring and find Lydia making out heavily with Jackson, but keeping a steady eye on Scott in the meantime. 

     Yikes.  That girl's trouble. 

     But suddenly Scott flinches and pushes Allison off of him.  He starts looking and acting a bit sick and he staggers back from Allison.  I rush forward to the two of them.

     "Scott are you alright?"  I hear Allison ask when I reach her side. 

     He mumbles something about feeling really bad and rush out of the room.  Allison rushes after him and I rush after her, a nagging concern sparking in my mind with something Stiles had said.  A ridiculous thing that Stiles had said.  But he's already speeding out of the drive by the time we make our way out.  Allison's giving a buzz where she's both concerned and offended at Scott.  We didn't really have much time to register what happens before a guy steps in front of us. 

      Whoa. 

      Hello tall and gorgeous. 

      And dangerous going by all the dark clothes and leather jacket. 

      He introduces himself as a friend of Scott's and apologizes for him being sick. 

      "You're a friend of Scotts?"  Allison asks suspiciously. 

      "Yeah, my name's Derek."  He says offering his hand. 

      Crap. 

      This was Derek Hale, I knew he seemed familiar.  I saw him in Stiles' thoughts.  He's the brother of the dead girl a lot of people have been talking about. 

      Allison shakes his hand and introduces her and me.  Because I suffer from having this morbid sense of curiosity, I throw my other sense out and try to get a feel of Derek Hale's mind.  It doesn't work.  His mind's as snarled and hard to read like Scott's.  Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better, especially since Stiles' thought of werewolves keep echoing in my head.  I'm getting all worried and I move to grab Allison's hand in mine. 

      "Nice to meet you, we're leaving now."  I say with a strained smile while taking a step back. 

      For a brief moment I see a look cross his face, as if he was looking at me like he knew exactly what I was feeling or what I was trying to do.  But he kept up with that toothy smile of his, and even if I was all sorts of concerned, it did get to me how amazing he looks.  Damn his sharp cheek bones and piercing eyes.  My libido's going to be the death of me. 

      "You guys are leaving?  I can give you guys a ride home if you want.  Scott says he drove Allison here."  He says kindly, managing look sexy doing it.

      "My brother has a car."  I say in response. 

      "Actually I do feel like going home.  You can stay here if you want, but I think I'm going to head out."  Allison says, sounding a bit defeated. 

      I sigh heavily before speaking.  "Yeah, I'm not really feeling the party vibe either."

      Allison just smiles at me, knowing that I was being sincere.

     "Well I really don't mind giving you guys a ride home."  He offers. 

     "Thanks."  Allison says before stepping forward to follow him to his car.  I make sure to keep holding on to her hands so she has to drag me forward with her.  I throw a quick look back over at the house hoping to get a glimpse of Jason, but instead I find Stiles staring after us.  I quickly loose him in the crowd as we followed Derek Hale into his car. 

      "Oh wow, you drive a Camaro?"  Allison says with awe. 

      I just mentally roll my eyes.  Boys and their toys. 

      "Get in."  He says. 

      I quickly move to open the passenger side and tells Allison to get in the back.  It's a bit rude, but I do it as cheerfully as I can and I'd rather not she be sitting in the front next to him.  Allison doesn't think much of it and does what I say, but Derek's looking at me strangely like he was studying me.  I get in the passenger side and close the door and just look forward. 

      "I'm getting into all sorts of expensive cars lately."  I say out loud by way of conversation.  "This would never have happened back in Bon Temps.  If I ever got into a guy's car, it'd probably be a truck with everything you could put in it being on it.  Really nothing like this."

      "Where's Bon Temps?"  Derek asks.

      "Louisiana."  Allison answers from the backseat. 

      "How do you like Beacon Hills?"  He says while briefly turning to look at me. 

      "Different.  Really different.  The people here are certainly something else."  I stress the something else.  I don't know why I'm saying this, it probably wasn't the smart thing to do.  But I think it was a half-assed attempt on my part to tell him that I had the measure of him and warning him away from Allison. 

      "Not that different from other people you've met I'm sure."  He chuckles.

      "Like Scott?  And you?"  I say sharply.  That stops his chuckling and he's looking at me all serious now. 

      "He's certainly something else."  He mumbles.

      "Yeah, that's one way to describe him."  Allison says sarcastically from the back, reminding Derek and I that there was somebody else in the car. 

      We spend the rest of the car ride in relative silence before he parks next to my driveway. 

      "How'd you know where I lived?"  I asked Derek curiously. 

      "Scott told me."  He replies with a smile. 

       That was all sorts of weird considering I hadn't really talked to Scott. 

      "Huh."  Is all I said in reply. 

      "Maybe we should drop Allison off first."  I say instead.

      "We're already here.  And you were in the front seat, so I figured you wanted to be dropped of first."  He explains. 

       Damn, I can't really argue with that logic.  I tentatively step out of the car, but not before giving him a long look.  I offer my hand to him and smile as wide as I can.

      "Nice to meet you."  I said, waiting for him to take my hand. 

       And he does. 

       And it's not nice. 

      Having skin contact made it easier for me to get a read on him, but it's still not by much.  He just seemed naturally difficult to read.  But I did get a couple of things.  I got that he was a really bitter and angry man.  I got that he had a lot of things to hide, but I couldn't really tell what it was.  I also got that there was something else inside of him, just under the surface of his skin.  I saw it in his eyes.  For a moment, they shone a bright, startling blue. 

      "I'll see you around."  He says when I stepped out. 

      I couldn't think of anything to say by the time he pulled out of the drive.           

 

***

 

      The next day I was plenty worried about Allison, and I was kicking myself that I had never asked for her number to give her a call.  But she showed up safe enough at school.  She looked kinda tired but greeted me happily.  I gave her a quick hug and asked how she was. 

      "So did Derek do anything?"  I ask quickly. 

      "What do you mean?"  She looks confused, which confused me too. 

      "So, he didn't do anything weird?"  I explain. 

      "What do you mean by weird?"  She asks with a chuckle.  "We didn't really talk all that much while he drove me home.  He was really chatty with you around though.  I think he likes you."

       I laugh at loud at that.  "Oh, yeah.  Right.  No." 

      "Why not?"  She asks while wiggling her eyebrows. 

      "There's a hundred reasons why I probably shouldn't touch Derek Hale."  I say with a laugh.  Gathering from Allison's responding laugh, she agreed with me. 

       We walk into school at the start of the day chattering about the mystery that is Derek Hale. 

       Most of the day was normal enough, and I spent more time in my own head wondering about this town and the possibility of werewolves actually existing. 

       It was in a class that I Stiles and I shared when Stiles asks what I was doing with Derek Hale that night of the party. 

       Huffing out a breath of frustration, I turn to answer him.  "He was just giving us a ride home, nothing big.  He didn't drag us into the woods and murder us, Stiles." 

      But then I see Stiles looking at me weird.  Looking at me like how people look at me when I say something weird. 

      "How'd you know what I was going to ask?"  He asks with some suspicion.  And then his eyes blow wide open and he's thinking all sorts of things in his head.  Then he's replaying his previous conversations with me from the day before.  Then he's thinking about me talking about Laura Hale.  Then he's thinking if it's possible if I could hear what he's thinking. 

      I'm thinking, oh crap.  I thought he asked the question out loud.  Turns out he didn't. 

      "Oh my god!"  He exclaims out loud, earning some curious looks from people in the room.  I kick him under the table before he adds in a harsh, excited, whisper, "you're telepathic!"

      For a moment I was afraid. 

      It was always the same. 

      Again, I'd be the freak. 

      No one likes people getting into their heads.

      _It's so awesome!_   Is what Stiles thinks.  And he meant it.  He was actually excited with the prospect that I might be reading his mind.  _Are you reading my mind now?  Poke your nose with a finger if you are._

      Tentatively, I poke my nose. 

      Then Stiles goes crazy.  He literally flails out of his seat in excitement and he gets kicked out of the class because of it.  I get kicked out too because apparently the teacher thought I had something to do with it. 

       _Oh my god.  You're really telepathic!_   Stiles thinks. 

       "Yeah..."  I answer awkwardly as we walk down the empty halls towards... wherever.  I had never been kicked out of class before, so I don't actually know what to do. 

       _You read my mind the other day right!  You knew I was thinking about that dead body in the woods!  Oh my god!  Your foster dad totally didn't tell you about Laura Hale, did you?  You read it in his mind!  Like a telepath!_   He says in his head. 

       Well for the most part he did.  He was surprisingly good at thinking in full sentences.  Usually people's brain are more abstract than that, quick passing thoughts and images and tenors that pass by way faster than they can articulate.  But Stiles actually manages to put enough mental effort to say those words as if he would in a conversation.  But it's not like I'm hearing him say those things out loud.  It was more like I interpreted his thoughts easily enough to understand them as those sentences. 

       "I try not to.  I swear.  It's just, hard for me sometimes?  I try to block people out?  'Cause it gets a bit crazy you know, and crowded.  Like at school.  But sometimes people are just really... thoughtful?  Is that right?  Like for me, they're just throwing all these thoughts out for me to hear.  Like if you were talking out loud and anybody could just hear."  I try to explain. 

      "Am I easy?"  He asks out loud, his eyes wide with excitement and awe. 

      I nod myself while scrunching up my face shamefully.  "Sorry?"

      Stiles just flails wildly and pumps his hands in the air.  "This is so cool!"

      "Seriously?"  I ask sceptically. 

      "This is so gonna be the _weirdest_ year ever.  First werewolves and now a telepath!  It's so cool!"  Then his eyes widened as a sudden thought crosses his head. 

      "Yep.  I know about Scott.  I didn't really believe you though.  I thought it was really silly.  But then he starts doing all those things in Lacrosse... which is cheating by the way."  I point out.  "And I know as much as what you've thought out loud." 

      "So you know about Derek?  And you still got into his car?"  He says with shock. 

      "Well what could I say to Allison?  Don't go with him 'cause he's a werewolf?  And I wasn't going to leave her alone with him!"  I explain.      

      "But he's a murderer!"  He argues. 

      I startle at that.  "What makes you think that?" 

      "Oh come on.  Suddenly he's back in town right when his sister gets murdered?  And he was there when we found the body?  Like he knew exactly what it was?  And someone bit Scott too, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was him."  He explains. 

      "Wait, you think he killed his own sister?"  I ask sceptically. 

      "Look, I forensic evidence from the body says that a wolf was involved.  Or actually, a werewolf!  And how many werewolves do you know?"  He explains as if I was supposed to come to some sort of obvious conclusion. 

      "Well, before?  None.  Now?  Two.  That's still a pretty big leap, and I don't think he killed his own sister.  I don't trust him though, but I still don't know him enough to be able to accuse him of murder."  I reply. 

      "Can't you just read his mind?" 

      "It's not that easy.  Not everybody is easy to hear.  And I'm thinking that maybe werewolves are just hard to hear in general."  I explain.  "Like when I shook Derek's hand, I didn't even get much from it.  Just flashes of emotion and a couple of pictures that doesn't really mean anything out of context.  It's like listening in to a really fuzzy radio, or looking at a channel that's full of static.  You get figures and images, but it's blurry.  If I'm lucky, I can get complete sentences, or I can get an overall feeling." 

      "Well, who else could it be?"  He asks seriously. 

      "I don't know.  I'm telepathic, not psychic."  I shrug before the bell for the next class rings and people file out of the classrooms.

      Stiles looks around at the people quickly before turning to stare at my eyes with intent. 

      _Listen, we gotta figure this out.  You've got to help me too._

     I just frown at him.  "Why?"

     _Aren't you curious?  And we have a civic duty to make sure the killer is caught.  If it really_ is _Derek, anyone of us could be next.  It could be me, you, Allison, your brother._

      And he got me.  It wasn't fair to use my brother, and I know he didn't say his name for that reason.  Just using it as a general example.  But it still got to me because he was right.  There was a killer out there, maybe a supernatural one at that. 

      And anyone could be next. 

      Moving into Beacon Hills, I knew my life had changed.  I just didn't expect the whole world I lived in to change too.  No, that was the wrong way of looking at things.  Things in the world had always been this way, and I had just never known about it.  Which is odd considering who I am and what I can do.  It never crossed my mind that there could be other things out there in the dark.  After all, if I existed why not werewolves too?      

**Author's Note:**

> Well... that wasn't too bad... was it? Yikes. Lol. That was basically the first episode of TW, but with Sookie.


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